When Kate Drohan took over the head coaching job at Northwestern in 2002, it had not won a Big Ten title in 15 years. In her seven years as coach, Drohan has turned the program around. In addition to winning Big Ten titles in 2006 and 2008, Drohan has produced more All-Americans during her tenure than in the 26 years prior to her arrival. In the meantime, she has led the team to some of its most successful seasons in history, compiling a .700 winning percentage in the process.
But there’s still something missing.
Despite their success, the Wildcats have yet to bring home the ultimate prize: a national championship. NU has made the postseason every year since 2003 but has fallen short each time. In 2006, NU won 50 games and made its first trip to the Women’s College World Series in two decades, finishing second to Arizona. The next year, NU won 52 games and fell to Tennessee in the semifinals of the World Series.
After a torrid start last season, the Cats finished 40-16 overall and 18-2 in the Big Ten, their best conference record in history. NU advanced to the Super Regionals with a 4-1 playoff record but fell to No. 2 seed and eventual national champion Arizona State.
“It hurts everyone that we lost that game, and we keep that in the back of our minds,” junior outfielder Kelly Dyer said. “We work harder so we don’t lose in that game.”
In the last two games against the Sun Devils, pitching was a major concern for the Cats. Junior ace Lauren Delaney gave up 12 runs in 13 innings after surrendering only five runs in the previous four playoff games combined. Delaney’s backup, sophomore Jessica Smith, did not pitch at all in the playoffs after making 13 appearances during the season and compiling a 6.07 ERA. Delaney wound up with a 2.98 ERA in the playoffs, almost double her 1.57 mark during the regular season.
With all but one player returning from last season, the team appeared to have the pieces to make a run in the postseason heading into this year. But Smith fractured her leg several weeks before the season started, effectively making pitching a top priority for the Cats once again.
To fill this opening, Drohan called on Dyer, whose sister, Erin, is the Cats’ starting catcher. Kelly Dyer had started every game of her career in the outfield, but she has been a pleasant surprise for Drohan and the Cats thus far, accumulating one win and one save in her four appearances. But since then, Kelly Dyer’s ERA has ballooned to 10.18.
“I think Kelly’s done a great job,” Delaney said. “Especially since she hadn’t practiced the whole year. She just had four or five weeks to prepare. She’s got right in there and been competitive… and really helped our team out.”
Still, she has proved potent at the plate, blasting two home runs in the Cats’ first three games.
“I’m just doing the best for the team,” Kelly Dyer said. “With Smith injured I’m going to do the best that I can until she can come back.”
Kelly Dyer has been batting sixth or seventh in the order this year, toward the back of one of the best lineups in the country. Alternating at the top of the order are senior Tammy Williams and sophomore Robin Thompson. The two bring different strengths to the leadoff spot; Williams has a propensity for getting on base and is second in NU history with a .491 on-base percentage, while Thomson has incredible speed and led the team in steals last year with 22.
Thomson is just one example of the Cats’ athleticism on the field, a trait Drohan emphasized in the offseason.
“We’ve been placing a tremendous amount of emphasis on our speed, explosiveness and agility,” she said. “I think this is an extremely athletic team.”
Behind Williams and Thompson is the heart of the Cats’ lineup, starting with junior Nicole Pauly and sophomore Michelle Batts. One of the most powerful hitters on the team, Pauly is third in NU history in slugging percentage, tied for fourth in home runs and seventh in RBIs and on-base percentage after just two seasons with the team. Batts has also excelled at the plate, compiling 13 home runs, a .421 on-base percentage and a team-leading 45 RBIs in her freshman campaign.
The power doesn’t end with these two though. Senior Erin Dyer has proved herself a forceful hitter during her time at NU, compiling 29 career home runs, 113 RBIs and a .464 slugging percentage. In nine games this year, Dyer has already shown her worth from the pate, belting five home runs to start the season.
“Erin Dyer is a gamer, and she has a great understanding of the game,” Drohan said. “She’s done a lot for us this season, but I think she’s just someone who really enjoys playing the game and it certainly really shows.”
Early on this season, another player put her name into the conversation. Freshman Adrienne Monka, starting at first base, blasted four home runs and compiled a 1.571 slugging percentage at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. Her numbers were good enough to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors.
As for their defense, the Cats have shown great progression so far this season.
“Already we’ve turned seven double plays in the first two weekends compared to the nine we had all year last year,” Drohan said. “So that’s been really big for us.”
While NU comes into the season with improved offense and defense, there is one final hurdle the team must overcome in order to take the final step in June. After falling short in the most pressure-packed moments of the season the past few years, the team foused on coming together and supporting each other.
“We’ve really worked on becoming more of a team this year and working on communicating with each other,” Delaney said.
Drohan also mentioned teamwork as vital to the success of the squad.
In recent years, the offseasons have been very long for the Cats. But their drive to capture that ultimate goal remains the same. Williams, the three-time NFCA All-American, put it best.
“I want to win a national championship.”
